Improvement in watch-escapements



G. P. REED.

Watch Escapement.

Patented May 27, 1862.

Wain asses.

UNITED STATES GEORGE P. REED, OF ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATCH-ESCAPEMENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,389, dated May '27,1562.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. REED, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Roxbury, in the county of Norfolk and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented an Improved XVateh-Escapement; and I dohereby declare the same to be fully described in the followingspecification and represented in the accompanying drawings, of whichFigure 1 denotes a top view, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of it. Figs.3 and 4 are representations of the several parts of the escapement underthe two extreme positions of its lever. In Fig. 1 the lever is exhibitedas in its mean or medium position.

The nature of my invention or improvement consists in an arrangement andcombination, substantially as hereinafter described, of a circularsegmental detent and a detaining and impulse pallet with avibratorylever and either two toothed wheels or one wheel having two sets ofteeth, the whole being applied to the balance by means and so as tooperate together and with such balance, substantially as hereinafterspecified.

The ordinary lever-escapement, by being stronger and more durable thanmost other wateh-escapements heretofore in use, possesses importantadvantages. The well-known chronometer-escapement will operate with lessfriction than the lever-escapement, and will run at even rate for alonger period of time without requiring to be either cleaned or oiled;but owing to its extreme delicacy of construction and consequentliability of derangement it is objectionable for many kinds of watches.

In my improved lever-escapement, as hereinafter explained, I havesucceeded in obtaining most, if not all, the good qualities of the leverand chronometer escapemen ts with avery great diminution of friction asregards the operation of the lever. My eseapement is one of muchsimplicity and durability.

Fig. 1 represents the escapement in the act of giving impulse to thebalance, the motive power being supposed to be applied so as to clutchor revolve the shaft of the escape or scape wheel or wheels. Thisscape-wheel, made as shown at A in the drawings, consists of two toothedwheels, a 12, arranged on one upright shaft, 0; but, instead of being soconstructed, it may be one single wheel provided with two sets of teethlike the scape-wheel of the ordinary d upleX-eseapement, in which caseone set of the teeth would project from the periphcry of the wheel,while the other set would extend vertically from the side of the wheel.Near to the scape-wheelis a lever, 13, mounted on-a vertical shaft, (1,and being provided with a projecting arm or detaining and impulsepallet, 6, which is placedon a level and operates with the upper set, a,of teeth of the scapewheel. Below the lever the shaft d hasasegmentalnotch cut transversely in it, and of a. width a little greater than thethickness of a tooth of the set or wheel b. This segmental notch impartsto that part of the shaft which is in the same horizontal plane with itand is marked f a form corresponding to that of a circular segmentgreater than a semi-circle. This part of the shaft-,which I haverepresented in the above-mentioned figures by a red color, is shownseparately and in horizontal section in Fig. 5. I term it the segmentaldetent, it being arranged in the plane of the teeth I) and to operatewith such teeth or part of the scape-wheel.

The inner end of the lever B is furcated and receives in the notch ofthe forl; a pin, g,which projects downward from an arm, 71, extendedfrom the shaft t of the balance-wheel O and above a notched roller orwheel, I), which is formed and is arranged on the shaft 1', asrepresented in the drawings, and particularly in Fig. 6, which is a sideelevation of the escapement.

The operation of the several parts above cX- plained may be thusdescribed:

In Fig. 1 a tooth of the scape-wheel is shown as in contact with theimpulse portion of the pallet c. The balance-wheel in moving in thedirection of the arrow 2' of Fig. 1 will carry with it the forked arm ofthe lever B, and will receive an impulse in the direction of the arrow.During the said movement of the balanee the tooth of the scape-wheelwill be disengaged from and be caused to slip off the pallet. Thescape-wheel will continue to move until a tooth of the lower teeth, b,may bring up against the curved arc of the segmental detent and theseveral parts take positions, as shown in Fig. 3. During the countermovement of the balance the lever will be moved around so far as tocause the escape of the tooth from the segmental detent. This will allowanother tooth of the scape-wheel to bring up against the end ordetaining portion of the pallet, (the parts now being in the positionsas shown in Fig. 4,) where it will remain locked until the balance shallmake its pass and shall return in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 4.The pin 9 in the end of the arm it will again enter the fork and carrythe pallet 6 until the tooth which was detained by the end of the palletshall pass off the said end, which having taken place the tooth willthen pass into the position shown in Fig. 1. -In such manner thebalance-wheel will, while in vibration from time to time, receive itsproper impulsions from the scape-wheel. The wheel D, as in otherescapements, serves as a stop for the lever B after each movement of thepin 9 out of the fork thereof.

Having thus described my said escapement, what I claim as my inventionis The arrangement and combination ofthe seg-

